Islamabad, Sep 29 (IANS) Top Al Qaeda leader Sheikh Al-Fateh has been killed in a US drone attack in northwest Pakistan, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

US drones fired nine missiles at three targets in North Waziristan to eliminate him Sunday.

Al-Fateh, 50, had joined the Taliban after coming to Afghanistan from Yemen in 1996. He fled to Pakistan after the US attacked Afghanistan in 2001.

He was appointed as commander of the Al Qaeda for operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan following the death of its leader Mustafa Abu al-Yazid in North Waziristan in May.

Waziristan is home to Taliban leaders Hakimullah Mehsood, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Mulla Nazir, who are fighting against the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The Haqqani network led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of former Taliban commander Jalauddin Haqqani, is also active there.